The Kathy Krezek Larson Tallgrass Prairie

The Frontier prairie, located at our headquarters in Norway, Iowa,
was dedicated as the Kathy Krezek Larson Tallgrass Prairie upon the
retirement of Vice President of Sustainability Kathy Larson after 33 years
at Frontier. Kathy championed our prairie and treasured the plants growing
there, making the dedication an especially fitting tribute to her Frontier
legacy.

The Kathy Krezek Larson Tallgrass Prairie is part of the UpS
Botanical Sanctuary Network, a number of
environments recognized by United Plant Savers as dedicated to restoring
and preserving natural habitats. UpS's mission is to preserve, conserve
and restore native medicinal plants and their habitats, so our prairie is
a perfect match.

The prairie, which was previously corn and bean fields, was planted in the spring
of 1992. Employee volunteers planted 21 acres of tallgrass prairie with an eight-acre
border of native hedgerow plants on three sides to provide food and shelter for
wildlife. Some of the buffer zone shrubs and a six-acre section of the original
prairie planting didn't survive the drought that occurred that year, but they
were restored as part of the prairie's 20th year anniversary celebration.

Prairie History

The receding glaciers of the Ice Age left an abundance of glacial till
that favored the growth of grasses. A warming climate and reduced precipitation
caused the coniferous forests that thrived over much of North America during
the Ice Age to retreat northward. Around 5,000 years ago, this warm, dry
period reached its peak, and a cooler trend began to favor the tree growth.
By the time European settlers reached the Midwest, trees were already starting
to advance. And since those first settlers, agriculture and community growth
have crowded out the once-dominant prairies, as this graphic shows:

Plants of the Prairie

A prairie is a complex ecosystem of grasses, forbs (flowering plants)
and shrubs. The specific plants and animals found on a prairie are
dependent on the soil types, microclimate, and location of the prairie — giving
rise to many kinds of prairie ecosystems. Drier and warmer weather favors
the growth of grasses over trees, for example, as grasses with their deep
roots and waxy-coated leaves are able to survive drought.

Our tallgrass prairie has around 25 to 30 species of grasses and forbs.
We love to stroll through the prairie and see how the plants have grown
and bloomed. Visit our prairie photo galleries below and share our delight.

Click on an image to open our Prairie Plants photo gallery.

Prairie Burns

Fire is one of the most fascinating aspects of a healthy prairie. In the past, fires were often started by lightening storms and by Plains
Native Americans. The effects could be dramatic, as fires might rage out of control for days and travel up to 40 miles per hour with favorable winds. Prairie fires stimulate new growth of grasses and some forbs and burn excess plant litter, helping to open up the ground to rain and nutrients from the ash. Fire also kills or damages trees, thus maintaining a grassland environment.

Good prairie maintenance requires a burn every few years to revitalize the prairie plants. See the photos below of our latest prairie
burn.

Click on an image to open our Prairie Burn photo gallery.

Changing Seasons in the Prairie

Spring

Spring prairie flowers (blooming in May and June) are shorter plants that grow fast and bloom before the taller forbs and grasses can overshadow them. They may take a bit of effort to find, as they are often hidden in the midst of plant litter from the previous year.

Click on an image to open our Prairie in Spring photo gallery.

Summer

July and August in the prairie is the peak time for a diversity of flowering plants. Smatterings of yellow, purple, pink and white can be seen
throughout the prairie. Butterflies are prolific as they flit from flower to flower seeking sweet nectar. The prairie is also at its most lush, with the
grasses and fall-blooming plants starting to dominate.

Click on an image to open our Prairie in Summer photo gallery.

Fall

The fall prairie is characterized by the yellows and purples of sunflowers, ironweed, silphiums and asters. There is also an interesting variety
of seed heads on the summer-blooming forbs. Birds are plentiful, as they gorge on the ripe seeds before migrating south.

Click on an image to open our Prairie in Fall photo gallery.

Winter

As the weather turns cold, the last blossoms turn into seeds, and the thick foliage — now in many shades of brown and tan — is
full of the rustlings of mice and rabbits collecting seeds and making cozy nests for the winter. The winter snow provides a protective blanket over the tunnels and caves hidden in the grass where small animals live through the winter.

Click on an image to open our Prairie in Winter photo gallery.

The Magic of the Prairie

Life on the prairie can be harsh, with extremes of temperature, strong winds and storms, fire, and water scarcity. But the plants and animals that live there have evolved not only to cope with the conditions but to thrive.

Iowa Tallgrass Prairie

The grasses in Iowa grew tall and lush, and the tallgrass prairie extended itself through most of the state to become the dominant ecosystem 8,000 to 9,000 years ago. By the time European settlers came to Iowa, wooded areas were prevalent along streams and rivers, but prairie still covered nearly 30 million acres or 85 percent of the states’ area. The soils encountered by these settlers were deep, dark-colored, rich in organic matter—and some of the most productive in the world.

Value Today

While less than 1 percent of natural prairie remains, small and large restorations are underway in many states. A recreated prairie brings color, diversity, and enjoyment. But it can also bring practical benefits, such as erosion and sedimentation control, food and habitat for wildlife, ncrease
of soil fertility and sequestration of carbon.

Nearly 400 plants and hundreds of insects, birds and mammals called the Iowa prairie home at one time. Because these plants evolved in harsh conditions, they make hardy, drought-tolerant landscaping plants. And the beauty and diversity of the naturally occurring prairie plants means there is something available to meet nearly every landscaping need.

Frontier’s restored tallgrass prairie helps offset the carbon emissions from our daily operations. It also shelters a variety of wildlife, such as pheasants, rabbits, mice and voles through the winter. It provides fruits and berries to birds and small mammals in the summer and fall and nectar to butterflies and insects during the warmer months. Employees and visitors can stroll the mowed paths throughout the prairie or take the walking trail that circles it. Our prairie provides a place of peace, beauty and abundance to enjoy year round.